Blazing Heights | Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Our One year anniversary is very special to me and I want it to be memorable. So I made a reservation to a fancy restaurant, and now I’m on the way to his office to surprise him.

When I got there I walk up to a desk with a woman sitting behind it, she appears to be his secretary. I look down at the nameplate on the edge of the desk before looking back up at her.

“Hi Becca, can I go in or is he talking to someone?” I ask gesturing towards the closed office door behind her.

“Ohhh, umm. Ma’am Mr. Taylor isn’t here. He left about an hour ago.”

“Do you know where he went?”

“Yes, ma’am. He said he was running to his apartment for a moment and he would be back. ”

“Apartment? What Apartment?”

“Ohhh, well he only just signed the lease on it a week ago. I’m sorry for letting that slip out. I’m so screwed. Mr. Taylor is gonna kill me. I think it was supposed to be a surprise for you or something.”

My eyes sparkled like two of the brightest stars and my lips curved into a big smile. I couldn’t even begin to explain the joy I felt. He got an apartment for us for our anniversary. Maybe it was for a new start, or just a special get away.

“Where is the Apartment? Tell me! Now!”

“Ma’am please no! Mr. Taylor will fire me! Please! Just forget I even mentioned it.” I wanted to laugh at her pleading, surely it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“Well if he fires you I’ll just hire you as my assistant at my father’s company. How about that?”

She blinked twice before talking. “Are you sure you’ll be able to give me a job?”

I nodded my head in approval. She smiled and started jotting down the address before handing it to me. Then she called the desk clerk at the apartment complex. She told them who I was, and that I was coming so they could give me a key.

“Oh, and tell them not to say anything to my husband because it’s a surprise.”

“Yes, ma’am, I told them.”

“Okay. Thanks Rebecca, bye.”

“Bye.”

I followed the directions of the GPS until I arrived at the apartment. I stopped by the front desk and grabbed the key, he also told me the apartment number and what floor it was on.

I went to the elevator and pressed the number ten. When it stopped I got out and walked down the hall looking for the room number. When I found it, I put the key in the lock and turned the door handle. I slowly walked inside to look for him. I was trying to be very discreet, so I looked around silently and didn’t touch any of the lights.

I start down the hall to the bedroom then stopped suddenly. I can hear noise inside, voices, a man and a woman. My heart started to beat faster thinking this was all starting to seem a little strange, then I heard it.

“Ahhhhhhhh, Honey yes, I love you.”

“Oh God, I’ve missed you.”

“Ahhh fuck!”

I was temporarily frozen by their moans, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The man was possibly Calvin but I didn’t know the voice of the woman. I notice the door is partially open. I walk closer so I could see inside. Calvin was laying on top of a woman, kissing her, and they were both naked.

“Paris, Oh Paris, I love you, I’ve missed you so much. ”

“I’ve missed you too Calvin.”

I felt my heart break into a million pieces. Why did he do this to me? When had it started? Who is that woman? There are so many question in my head but I know I won’t get any answers.

Salty water started to slowly fall from my eyes turning my cheeks into a river bed. My knees became weak and turned into an earthquake until I could barely stand. I wanted to scream my pain to the world but I didn’t want them to see me.

I gathered all my strength, walked quietly back across the apartment and out the door. The sobs finally broke free as I entered the elevator and pressed the button to go back down to the lobby. I walked right out the front door and hopped in my car ignoring everyone in my path. But then I didn’t know where to go.

I didn’t want to go home. I didn’t want to see him. I just wanted to think. Why did he do this to me. I thought we were doing good these past few months. I thought he was starting to let me into his life. But all of my dreams came crashing down to bitter reality. I stopped the car and pulled over, I screamed my frustration into the wind until my throat ached. Then I started questioning myself.

What else could I have done? What else had I missed? Am I really such a horrible partner and wife? Am I just that ugly? I cried again and again and again. I cried until my eyes were red and swollen.

After many hours of crying I started to drive again but my sore, tired, eyes could barely see the road anymore. So I started looking for the nearest hotel. Once I saw one I pulled in and paid for a room. I went in and plopped down on the bed and the waterworks started again.

I called down to the hotel bar and asked for them to bring me up some hard liquor. I hear a knock on the door and I opened it. There was a woman standing there smiling, I reached for the bottle and she started to hand it over. But before she let go she whispered something in my ear.

“Drinking here alone is so boring. We have a bar on the first floor maybe you should check it out. There is lots of different liquor to choose from.” She smiled at me and walked away. Once I was inside and alone once more, I thought about what the woman said.

It might be nice to go but I didn’t have the guts. So I decided to just drink alone in my room. I started to get a little tipsy and decided to walk downstairs after all, I left the room and took the elevator down. As the door of the bar opened I could see people dancing, I could smell cigarettes, and I could see flickering lights. I headed straight for the bar and waved the bartender over.

“Well hey there beautiful.”

“Hi, ummm, a Martini please.” I responded smiling shyly at him.

“I think your already a little drunk,” the bartender said.

“Well, I want to be drunk. I’ve had a terrible day and I want to forget it.”

“Okay then, as you wish beautiful. I’ll give you whatever you want,” he said before going to fix my drink.

“Yes I want to be completely drunk,” I mumbled to myself.

I soon found myself drinking more and more while gyrating to the beat of music from my seat. Most of the men were starting to looking my way, I think they pity me for drinking alone. But I don’t care what they think. There was nothing wrong with getting completely hammered by myself, it’s not like I had anyone who cared.

As my fifth shot slid to a stop in front of me a woman who looked about my age shot me a glance. Next thing I knew she was sitting down next to me, her eyes roamed across my body before returning to mine as she smiled.

“Love problem?” she asked. “Boyfriend or cheating husband?” again another question, it seemed rude, but I didn’t want to answer.

I couldn’t answer if I wanted to, my lips were glued together. My eyes started to water and my heart felt as of someone was squeezing it. I bowed my heads to hide the shame as water poured from my eyes once more.

I thought the alcohol would help me feel better but now that someone open up conversation about it the misery came crashing back like a tidal wave. Then suddenly I feel someone rubbing my back. I look up and saw the same women who had asked the offending questions. I felt so ashamed, I quickly shoved the tears off my cheeks and look up at her to apologize.

“I’m so sorry, I’m much to sensitive right now,” I said my voice trembling.

“No problem I think I understand, we’re in the same boat. But I think your still recovering from the pain.”

“Why? ‘coz you’re afraid someone will know? Because you’re ashamed! That’s pathetic, the whole world should know about him cheating on you and about the whore he’s sleeping with!” she said practically screaming. I could see the anger clear in her eyes.

“Oh, so you say we’re in the same boat right?” I asked and she nodded.

“How do you suppose we make them pay? What will you do?” Not that I wanted to take revenge on them but this was the first time I’d met a woman like this. Strong, wild, and full of confidence in herself.

“There is this thing called a plan dear,” she raised her eyes and smiled at someone behind me. I turned around to see there were two women walking towards us. The first one was a brunette, wearing a black dress that hugged her figure, and stilettos that made her legs look amazing. The second woman had beautiful, curly, blonde hair. She was wearing an off the shoulder yellow blouse, grey skinny jeans, and boots.They walked up to the woman next to me and exchange hugs and kisses. The woman I’d been talking to -who’s name I still didn’t know- looked at me and smiled.

“These are my friends, This chestnut haired stunner is Ella, she’s a lawyer. And this angelic blonde is Rita, she’s a celebrity news reporter. My name is Kendall, and your name is?” she questioned while reaching out to shake my hand.

I get up from my seat, shake their hands, and say, “Hi I’m Marilyn Cuba. ”

“Wow so you are Marilyn Cuba! Nice to meet you! I hope you give me time for an interview someday.” Rita states her eyes sparkling with delight.

“Hey,” Ella snapped at her, “You just met her and the first thing you do is ask her for an interview! Rude!” She exclaims rolling her eyes.

“I’m sorry about the bad behavior of my friend, but she’s really nice when you get to know her,” she said shaking my hand.

“So you’re alone?” Ella asked looking around. I just nodded.

“Yes she is and I think she is a new member of our little club,” Kendall smirked at me while the two women gave her an inquiring look.

“No way, I thought you were happily married? You really need an interview! You need to air out his dirty laundry,” Rita said practically jumping up and down with excitement.

“Oh no no no please! I don’t want any of the media to know about it. I just couldn’t deal with that.” I responded shaking my head vigorously and waving my hands back and forth through the air.

“Don’t force her into anything, she’s still recovering, let’s change the topic. I want to know the next step to our plan?”

“Yes of course, but let’s go upstairs to our private room first. Come on Marilyn you can join us,” they headed for the elevator one by one and I followed after them.

After we entered the room we sat down on two couches with a coffee table in between. Kendall started some coffee, and Ella pulled some papers out of her bag.

“Now that your divorce papers are finalized, you will get the half of his earnings as alimony,” Ella said with a grin.

“And that girl is in town right now having her way with another man,” Rita stated as she pulled an envelope full of picture out of her bag. “This is her and her new man, we still didn’t know who he is but don’t worry, you know me. Give me a day and I’ll give you his name.”

I looked at the photos and something clicked. I took one of the photos in my hand and studied it carefully. This man and woman seemed familiar to me. The photo was taken from afar so it was very blurry.

“Do you have a better photo, or at least a front view? They kinda look familiar.” Rita pulled another photo from the envelope and handed it to me. My hands began to shake and my chest tightened as soon as I saw the picture.